Our Tree
by ta.EV.wi
Summary: This is a big mix of many movies and books. It has its own tang though. Its a Alice in Wonderland with small dash of Enchanted, a mix of various anime stories, and some romantic love triangles. I made up all the characters! Tell me what you think!
1. Once Upon a Time

The day was normal, just like every other or so she thought. The soft fall breeze brushed through Aiyana's hair as she carelessly walked through the tawny field. The golden leaves fluttered past her while the trees whistled as if they were saying goodbye before their winters sleep. In the middle of the field, stood a large solo tree waving its brittle branches against the wind. Aiyana always thought it was a willow, just like the one in the cartoon Pocahontas. She climbed up to her favorite spot between the largest branch and one that curved to form a perfect seat. From there she could see everything, say anything and it wouldn't matter. Setting her camera on one of the branches she closed her eyes and went into a trance. The tree wouldn't talk back. Only the breeze had something to say when she was in deep thought. This was her place. No one….

Vrooooom vroom vroom!!

Aiyana looked over her shoulder to see the Parker boys on their dirt bikes charging to destroy her moment. The boys were no older than she was, and has been pestered by them ever since she moved to the small town of Kogan. Dust flew in the air as the testosterone filled teenagers circled the tree. She covered her eyes and gasped for as much air as she could without giving them the satisfaction of her distress. All in a quick moment, the sounds of the engines faded away back to the main trail that led to the bike ramps. She felt a small sense of relief that they wanted to go try and kill themselves on death defying jumps more than bother her today. When the dust cleared she looked down to see the new torn up vines that once covered the bottom of the tree. The zigzag tracks almost looked like a new trail that would leave you endlessly going in circles and not knowing it because of the large tree. The concept was so intriguing to her she had to get a picture. When she reached for her camera, her anticipating fingers only hit the rough texture of the bark and not a cold soft plastic of a camera. Her heart sank at the thought of it falling and being shattered into pieces and run over by the merciless apocalypse boys. "Shit!" was all she could think of to say. Her camera was her only way of capturing how she felt and what she sees. She couldn't draw, or write well. It was her way of expressing herself, even though she had no one to express herself too. A slight thought of hope hit her, thinking it might of fell into the leaves on the side. Quickly without thinking she jumped down from her branch only to land on the side of her foot. Crack! Her ankle popped and she fell on her side to the ground. The sudden pain reached up her nerves sending her into a loud groan. Her ankle began to swell as she tried to sit up and untie her shoe. Her whole ankle was getting fatter and fatter by the moment and she still couldn't find her camera! This made her feel even more helpless because she couldn't finish what she started. The motivation of finding her camera subdued the pain for a moment as she used tree as a brace and stood up. While looking around for her priceless friend, a short chuckle rang through her ears. Looking up in the tree was Soren sitting in her spot, in her tree, and holding her camera.

"You're pretty pathetic when you're desperate."

His light brown hair dangled freely over his eyes as his green eyes complemented his skin tone. He was her best friend of course, but that didn't keep her from checking him out. Rolling her eyes she grunted.

"You had to wait for me to fall on my ass, before you say hello? "

He smirked showing his perfect smile and shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you, but you seemed to beat me down the tree when I finally got to the top. Did you hurt yourself? Well knowing you I take that back. Where did you hurt yourself?" He laughed and jumped down the tree landing more gracefully than she did. Her pride swelled up more than her ankle making her lie "What are you talking about, I never get hurt!" She foolishly let go of she tree and crossed her arms causing all her weight to shift on her bad ankle. Instantly she bit her lip trying to hold in the cry that desperately wanted to escape her lips. Catching on to her obvious pail Soren rolled his eyes and said "Your such a bad liar, here sit down so I can have a look at your ankle, its going to swell to a point where your shoe wont come off …" Aiyana sighed that her acting skills failed once again. Sitting down against the tree she watched carefully as he untied her shoe. Any girl in Kogan would be going crazy if they were in her place, he was always followed by a posse of girls at school. She never saw him in that sort of way. She used to crush on him when they were close but certain circumstances forced her to only love him as a brother. "It looks like a pretty bad sprain; let's take you back to Misses Morins house so she can fix you up." Shaking her head, she protested "I don't want to bother her right now with just a sprained ankle, I'll be fine." Trying to quickly change the subject she asked "Why have you been hanging out with the Parker Boys lately?" He sighed and tilted his head back against the tree. Knowing he would not be able to convince her to leave just yet he went along with her distraction "just helping out around the house…taking care of the boys while Gary gets better. Ever since their mom died my family has been really close to them and I don't want them getting into any trouble."

"You're doing a good job…"

"Hey! I haven't seen any mailboxes broken, or cows tipped in the months that I have been taking care of them!"

"They wrecked my tree…"

"Hey it's our tree and I that was my fault. I can do what ever I want to this tree!"

"Not with out my consent!"  
"Well I just did..."

"Then your tree rights have been diminished and I have sole custody of the tree."

"You can't do that! Who made you the tree mayor?"

"Me. As of right now I declare this tree to be mine and no boys allowed"

She laughed in self victory as she tried not to move her leg. After a moment of silence she worried she might have actually offended him or he was annoyed by her. The ice finally broke with the words that caught her completely off guard.

"What about men?"

Her cheeks quickly filled with color as she quickly scavenged for a comeback or something to say. Finally she just blurted out the only thing that could defuse her awkward moment. "Sure men can come in my tree, but that still leaves you out because you're still a boy in my book" He winced slightly to her comment and said in defense "I think I'm more manly that you think" She chuckled and bit her lip slightly while shaking her head. "I think your getting a little too confident with all those girls following you around all day" He grinned and said "That's what comes with being manly, confidence, hot chicks following you, coolness, smoothness…"

"Your sooooo not smooth"

"Really?"

"Your not manly, your arrogant, retarded, and only blessed with good looks"

"So even you have at least checked me out then."

Her cheeks were again replaced with the deep redness as before. She slipped. "No, I am just saying you're not ugly, nor are you hot. You are just decent looking" His lips crooked into a side smirk as he noticed her coloration.

"I think you're the one being overconfident…"

"What?"

"You're the one blushing trying to hide the fact you check me out, thinking I wouldn't catch on. Seriously don't ever go into the acting field when you go to college"

She was shut down. Giving up on arguing with him she admitted "Fine, you win I check you out sometimes, I'm a girl I can't help it"

"So you see me as a man, not a boy right? Or have you gone pedophile on me?"

"Fine you're a man in my eyes, but that still doesn't mean you can go in my tree"

"Are you going back on what you said?"

"Would you be mad if I said yes?"

"I would be jealous…"

Jealous? That was a new vocabulary word for her. She never thought he would ever be jealous of anything. He had the perfect car, house, body, bank account, and anything else he wanted he could probably get it.

"Why? It's just a tree. You don't even come here anymore"

"But its our…..was our tree and I would feel jealous to see another guy up here with you"

She bit her lip in disbelief. What was he trying to say to her? Before she could even think of anything to say her heart began to flutter as he wrapped his arm around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"You're my best friend Aiya…even if you won't let me come up the tree that won't ever change"

She smiled and fitted her head over his. She softly sighed and said in defeat "Fine…you earned your tree rights back…" Felling his head shift she knew he was smiling as well. The sun was beginning to set over the swaying grassy hill. "Aiya, how come me and you never…" Soren started but was quickly silenced when Aiyana finished "were both too busy, and have different lives. This is our last year of high school and it would be painful when we would have to leave to college"

"What if we went to the same college?"

"You want to go to England for college! That's way off from what I want to do"

"Then I will go where you go…"

"Now you're just being naive"

"I don't care…"

"Am I the only adult in this situation?"

Soren sighed and sat up so he could see her face. His eyes looked as if he was not willing to give up so easily.

"Maybe being the adult is not always the greatest answer..."

His face was only a few inches from hers. His break on her skim made her hair rise. She wanted him hold her more than anything at that moment. She felt herself loosing in this battle of 'why not'. He didn't care about where he was going to end up. She would miss him desperately if he went away from her. She was right though, it would be even more painful if they did become more than friends. He just wanted her while he had her, knowing he most likely wouldn't be to make her feel the same. It made her body melt. The silence only caused him to pull closer to her. His other arm wrapped around her as if he was trying to keep her from disappearing into thin air. His forehead rested on hers while his eyes closed as if he was reading her mind and understanding what she was thinking.

"It would hurt me even more, if we never tried"

His words made her heart slow down. She could feel his breath deepen and relax when he waited for her answer. He was right for once. She knew it would hurt her when she left. The thought of him with anyone else drove her mad; the thought of him leaving her has been making her depressed. She knew what had to be done. She slowly angled her chin to his level and placed her lips gently over his not moving at all. This was her answer.

That was all he needed before he began apply his own warm pressure to her lips. His lips gently glided over hers like the pilgrims hands in a familiar situation in Romeo and Juliet. His grasp around her tightened with passion that it almost suffocated her, but in a good way. Her own hands traveled up his chest and around his head. This only encouraged him more as he trapped her against "their" tree. The fire inside her was blazing she could melt the sun. All of their feelings for each other were admitted by the movements of their lips. As the heat intensified, it was quickly extinguished by something that was the last thing they wanted to hear.

"Soren!"

Their lips parted regretfully as they still clung on to each other for dear life. Their breaths still were intensified as he couldn't rip his gaze away from her eyes.

"Soren!"

The Parker boy's voices were getting louder as they were approaching the large tree. Aiyana finally got back to reality and said softly while her breaths remained heavy "They're calling you, you should take them home" He rested his forehead on hers one last time before releasing her. He sighed and yelled back to the boys "I'm over here, One of you guys grab my bike, I'm helping Aiyana out" She blushed slightly when he said her full name. He swiftly, with out warning, swooped her up and carried her out into the open field. His chest was so warm to her, she for once didn't protest to letting him carry her like that. If it was any other time, and if her leg didn't hurt so badly she would have tried to kick him. The boys looked at the pair in question but did not ever dare argue with Soren. After a long awkwardly silent walk Aiyana fell asleep in his arms. This was not the happy ending they are hoping for. Things are going to be going off-road soon.


	2. The Door

Graduation

The next day, Aiya woke up to see the morning light pierce through her bedroom blinds. She sat up slightly only to be reminded of her sprained ankle by a sharp pain. She sighed as she tried to uncover her leg from her restricting blankets. Making her way off the bed, she was surprised to see Soren sleeping on the couch in the other room. She remembered him taking her home and being put to bed but she assumed he left. Her father must of insisted that he stayed the night. She quietly closed the door between them so she could have some privacy, even though he was clearly out of it.

With in a few minutes, she completed her mourning ritual of hygiene. Dressing never came easy to her for her fashion sense was pretty weak. Hesitating on either dress nice for Soren or wear something casual, she rummaged though her closet. Her foot still ached but she could apply some pressure on it unlike the night before. Coming across her favorite jeans and jacket she quickly gathered the other necessary garments for her outfit. The jeans were snug get loose in the right areas so she could run around in them. This made her feel slightly more comfortable before going to see Soren. She quickly put her disobedient hair into a messy bun. It was her style, and she never liked trying to hard in the morning. She did put a little more effort into her hair than she usually did though. After checking herself over for any other problems she might have, she carefully opened the door to see Soren still sleeping. His arms wrapped around the cushion while his hair gently swept over his face. She didn't want to wake him. He just looked so perfect. He was so angelic compared to the old ugly couch.

She knelt next to him carefully not trying to wake him or hurt her ankle. Resting her head against him she listened to him sleep for a brief moment. At any other time she would think of this as weird. In romance movies you would always see a girl watching her lover sleep and think "Who listens to people sleep? What a psycho". This time though, it was actually more pleasant than what romance movies show. His breaths were deep and warm, making her feel jealous of the small pillow in his arms. While listening, she also caught a glare in her eye. Slowly moving her eye to investigate where the glare came from, she noticed her camera sitting on the table. Her fingers quietly grasped the glossy object and pushed the 'view photos' button. The current photo was of a white figure curled up against something.

Squinting her eyes and turning the camera she noticed it was her sleeping in his chest when they were walking back. Most of the time, her pictures turned out horrible. This picture actually looked nice. She felt him shift slightly under her making her move away from him slightly. He opened his eyes and inhaled deeply. Seeing Aiya there made him grin lazily "good morning." She smiled and said "Good morning, I thought you left last night"

"Your pop said he didn't want me riding my bike through the valley at night. Plus I didn't mind"

She rolled her eyes and quickly shifted her position. Her camera still lay on her lap, catching Soren's eye. "Sorry about the picture, I couldn't help myself." She blushed slightly making her cheeks turn a bright red again "Your not to bad at taking pictures, I just wish you had a better subject." He laughed and grabbed the camera to look at the photo. "I think it's beautiful…" She smiled and quickly looked away to hide her expression. A bright flash cause her to blink and look at his direction. A grinning Soren with her camera on snap shot caught her blushing moment. "Hey!! Don't! Give it back" She reached for her camera only to be pushed away by his long arms. "Why you look cute when your blushing." He said while continuing to capture pictures of her distress. Launching her body over him to grasp her camera he caught her and said "Watch out for your ankle, do you ever want it to heal". She reached her hand out to his which was flaying beyond her reach. "I don't care, I rather be cripple for life than have pictures of me." His hand snaked around her waist and prevented her from moving any higher. "Fine, only on one condition. I get to have one picture of me and you." The room seemed silent for a moment while she thought about the request. "Fine, deal" she said reaching for her camera only so see it move further from her. "I want to take it though." He said firmly. She hesitated but complied moving off him "Okay fine, one picture though.." He grinned and sat up with her and wrapped his arm around her "On three, smile okay? Not just a half smile". She rolled her eyes and looked at the camera waiting for his dreaded picture. He fixed the camera on them and aimed the lens. "Okay, one …two….". There was no three, only his lips on hers. Her surprised eyes made the picture priceless. When the flash finished he released her and only held but the biggest grin of satisfaction on his face.

"Your such an ass…"

He finally left after a long breakfast with her father. Her father suspected something was going on between them but did not want to know any details. After doing a couple chores that her father never did, she ended up taking her bicycle out for a ride. She was slightly in pain from her foot but it was not sprained that badly. The bike squeaked as it made its way through the dirt road in the valley. The large tree slowly began to appear in her sight as she finally rode deeper in the valley. When she made it to the three, she leaned her bike against the tree. She wished she had a kickstand like normal bikes, but she never took time to get one. Climbing up to her tree she felt her cell phone vibrating. She decided to get to her spot before she checked her phone. When she finally got situated she opened her phone to see a text message. "Hey are you at the tree?" She hesitated about telling him where she was. She really needed some time to think. She sighed when she felt her self opening a new message to type. She always felt guilty when she never answered a text. "Yeah" was all she said back. In the matter of seconds she got a reply. "I'll meet you there".

She decided to relax while she had a moment to herself. This whole situation was new to her. It felt like it was going slightly too fast for her. She needed some more time. Time was her enemy though. He was right about that, they didn't have that much time and it would be more painful for them if she wasted it. Is it what she really wanted though?

Looking down to the root of a tree, she spotted a shiny object. The light reflected off its edge in small beats making her eyes strain to see it. She carefully climbed down the tree to investigate the light. As she got closer she realized it was a perfectly round handle. Moving some vines around the tree she then discovered a old wooden door. The door was brown and red with earth rotten edges. She tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. The tree's roots have surrounded the edges. After several moments of prying roots away she was finally able to move it open slightly. She gripped the handle with both hands and with one final pull it opened. It was completely dark inside but it looked like it got wider as you went deeper. She hesitated but her curiosity got the best of her. She took off her bag and laid it by the door so she could fit in the tiny door. The cold ground made her nervous as she crawled deeper in the hole. For about a moment, she was about to turn around but when she moved her arm to gain balance she fell in a deep black hole that felt endless.


	3. Predator and Prey

It was never ending

It was never ending. For a moment, she wondered if she was even falling. Her heart raced as she dared to open her eyes to see her life take its last sight. In absolute disbelief, she questioned her own sanity at what she saw. The darkness disappeared into white light. Her body felt extremely light, while her breaths became shallow and hyper active. In almost an instant she stopped and was floating in limbo. She couldn't breathe. She grasped her throat and tried to gasp for air. He futile attempts caused her body to go into spasms. Her body cringed as she felt it scream for her to breathe. Her heart began to pump faster and faster, while soon going into irregular beats. The moment her body stopped moving, she knew she was going to die. Everything was slowly going dark. The moment she was about to close her eyes, she was falling again. This time it was faster than when she first went though. In almost an instant, she could see the lights go dark again and then she stopped.

She was back in the tree hole. She inhaled deeply as she took in her beloved oxygen. Her body remained numb as she lay on her back gasping deeply for air as she regained consciousness. She was quickly greeted by a cold breeze against her cheek that made her shiver. Her bones rattled as she tried to sit up. The blood rushed to her head as she retained balance, which gave her a small headache. Her mind was in disbelief. Was she going crazy? Maybe she fell off the tree and this was all a big dream. After a long debate about her sanity in her head, she slowly made her way out of the small tunnel. When she

reached the end, the wind became colder. Her breath became visible as the temperature dropped with in a few feet. She reached her hand on the small door ring and felt a cold

winters touch. "When did it get so cold?" She thought to herself. She pushed the door open while snow began to escape through the cracks. Opening the door fully, her eyes were introduced to a world far different from hers. The land was covered with white billowy snow that stretched several miles over the valley. There were no fences that separated the land. The sky was a deep grey with dark clouds that continued to poor the cold flakes on the earth. Everything was different except the tree and the mountains.

Sliding out of the hole, she carefully stood up and viewed the entire land like a pioneer in new lands. She was extremely curious, yet at the same time she was feeling like she was is some kind of danger in this place. This was not her home. From the tree, she should be able to see her house a few miles down the road. The problem was, there was no road. There was no house. The only thing visible was white hills, and ancient trees that stood like guardians hiding some kind of treasure. Taking her first steps in the snow caused her to shiver and wrap her arms around her body. "This can't be real…I must be drea.." she spoke to her self but quickly silenced when she heard a crack in the forest behind her. She jumped and fixed her eyes on the source. Nothing moved in the forest. The trees glared at her like they knew she didn't belong there. She bit her lip and slowly started to walk away, only to year a much larger crack. She turned her head slowly to see a large shadow move through the trunks of the trees. She did not need another warning to get her moving.

She instantly started running. Her foot screamed in protest as she trudged through the

thick snow. Hearing thumps and panting behind her she ran faster, not daring to look

back. She could feel it gaining on her, almost to a point she could feel it breathing. Where

was everyone? She screamed in desperation for some kind of help. Her loud cry rang

through the silent hills only to be echoed away in the distance. This was such a horrible

feeling, to be helpless. Usually she was always able to protect her self, or at least Soren

would be there for her. Soren! He was going to the tree any moment now. Maybe he went

through the door to. She screamed his name while still maintaining full speed. Her legs

began to give out, her ankle couldn't take any more of the pain. "no…no no!" She began to sob as she felt her body give up and slowly go into a desperate jog. The pursuer ranged closer now, ready to take the kill. She stumbled out of exhaustion and collapsed in the snow. She looked at the direction of her predator to see a large wolf stare at her snarling. Its large snout stretched across its face with stained fur around its mouth. He snarled as she circled Aiyana deciding where he should take the first bite. Its mangled fur rose across its back, making him look larger by the second. Aiya grabbed a cold rock that lay by her as her only defense. She rose to her knees keeping her back away from the wolf. The wolf's eyes mocked her attempt and darted to her vulnerable spots. He crouched low, dipping his large shoulders as if he was cocking a spring in his spine. Aiya clutched the rock nervously as she awaited her fate. With a swift jump, the wolf pounced high in the air with his jaws open wide to claim his meal. Aiya screamed and threw the rock strait at his head and held her arms in front of her protecting hers. Frozen in fear, she waited her death only to be surprised when it did not come. Opening her eyes she saw the wolf dead on the ground with an arrow pierced in its heart. She quickly stood up and stared at it in disbelief. How could someone have killed this beast with just one arrow? She looked around searching for her rescuer only to be stunned when the wolf moved behind her. It whined as it struggled to move. She gasped and slowly backed away as it growled at her. It slowly was making its way to her snarling with blood in its mouth, trying to make one more attempt in killing his prey. With a swift moment, the winter silence was broken by a charging horseman with a large spear aiming for the wolf. His armor gleamed through the pure snow. His posture was strong as he leaned forward and bravely aimed for the wolf. The horse plowed through the snow as if it was running through a pile of feathers. All in a quick moment, he pieced the wolf and drove the spear into a tree trapping it. Aiya stood amazed; her hair flowing in the wind was the only part of her that moved. The horseman dismounted and approached the struggling beast. With a sound of his sword unsheathing, the wolf began to howl in one last yelp for help. The horseman raised his blade and drove it across his neck during his howl, silencing the menace for eternity. The wolf slowly lowered his head as his blood stained the pure snow leaving a pool to encircle the animal. The man turned towards Aiya making her jump slightly. She didn't know what to think of him. Was he her hero or was he going to slay her as well?


	4. The Silent Hero

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours. The winter silence only intensified the moment. A thousand things ran through her mind. Was he her foe, or her hero? How typical is it to see a hero on a white steed charging to a damsels rescue? A small cloud of fog bellowed from the horse's nostrils as is relaxed in its idle stance. The horseman abruptly kicked his sides making toward her in a slow intense walk. He made his way past her as if she didn't even exist. Aiyana looked at him in awe as his stature made her feel small and frail. After he gained a distance between them she yelled breaking the long dreadful silence "Hey!! Where am I? Please tell me where I am!" He didn't stop. She stood up and followed him like a puppy after a child going home. She bit her lip and said in frustration "Please! I just….I just want to go home!" A small tear made it down her cheek that felt cold against the chilly wind. The man pulled his reins slightly causing the horse to come to a halt. Her breaths deepened as she waited for his answer. He turned his horse and made his way to her making her feel small once again. With one swift moment, he offered his hand to her. She hesitated, feeling slightly nervous about the large horse, but softly accepted his hand only to be pulled roughly over the front of the horse. He moved her to balance her between him and the horse like a young child in his arms. She blushed slightly at the feeling of having him hold her in such manner. She then realized, the horse was even taller on it, making her slightly scared. The horseman ignored her obvious fear and kicked the horse's sides putting it into full gallop out of the white forest. She held onto him for what seemed like dear life. The feeling of the horse moving on her was so real; she was beginning to doubt she was dreaming. She clutched onto him, almost digging her nails in his arms. She felt embarrassed. After a long hour ride, they finally made it to noticeable trails that lead them out of the forest and into a small town. The town looked like something out of a story book. The people were all busy, cooking, selling, or cleaning something. It was almost too cliché. What made it even more fictional was the large Cinderella looking castle in the back. The castle however, was dark and had a green aging tinge to it, so it didn't look too bad. The smells of the town filled her nostrils making her feel safe and also very hungry. Bringing his horse to a long waited halt, the man dismounted and brought himself to help her off the side. Gently lifting her down he motioned her to stay put. He brought his horse behind a house that looked what she thought was a barn. Being alone, she thought she would analyze what just happened. She was in a new time, or different world. People looked like they just popped out of a sickening happy Disney movie. The forest was creepy, and her tree looked the same. Did Soren make it through the door? After running through all of those thoughts, her head started to pulse in frustration. She was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and quickly saw the man who saved her. She blushed and said "I never got a chance to thank you yet…so thank you." He ignored her and began to take off his helmet. Feeling aired out she pretended to be looking at something else. Maybe he didn't hear her? Maybe she is just thinking too hard again. When she finally turned to see him she was shocked to see his beautiful features. His face was smooth, almost touchable despite a slight scruff under his chin. His eyes were deep pools of ice blue, while his hair resembled much of a golden brown. He caught her gawking at him and raised an eye brow. Her face turned three shades of red making her try too pretend she was looking at something else. He nodded toward a house with a yellow tint in the windows. The house looked small and homey, a warm smell of fresh bread escaped through the door as they both approached the house. Her stomach growled in approval making her feel embarrassed by the noise. The moment they entered the house they were greeted by warm almost angelic voice "Edan!! Where have you been? I had dinner out for two hours and…oh who is this?" He glanced at her as if asking her the same question. Feeling the light on her, she quickly said "I'm Aiyana; it's never nice to meet you." The old woman must have been his mother. Her small rivulets on her face made her seem to be sage. A smile stretched along her face almost making her eyes shut "It's always a pleasure to meet one of Edan's friends." Noticing her obvious hunger she quickly beckoned her to the table "Come eat! There is plenty to go around!" Feeling slightly mad at her for how quickly she sat down and waited to be fed. She looked at Edan and waited for him to join them but felt slightly bummed when he left the two of them to go and tend to some matter in a different room. Aiya stared at the direction he left, only to be distracted when his mother brought in a sweet aroma of warm bread. "Here you go lass" she said as she handed Aiyana a small loaf. Bighting into it fiercely she devoured the delicious piece of heaven in moments. The woman laughed and broke the hunger silence by saying "So how did you meet my son?" She coughed a small piece of bread and said nervously "He rescued me today from a wolf. I am so thankful he was there." She sighed and said "Wolfs again, I swear they are getting to close to the village these days, oh would you like another piece?" Aiyana nodded and reached for another serving. The woman relaxed back and said "He has been keeping watch lately, from the wolves. I am so proud of him stepping up, but at the same time as a mother I worry sometimes." She gulped down another piece of bread "He seems quite strong to me. He's a little quiet though". She hit herself in the head for saying something like that. His mother looked at her in shock and said "You do not know?" Aiya looked at her confused "Know what?" His mother sighed and said "I suppose he can't really tell you. He is mute, has been ever since he was eight. The doctors never knew the cause but some speculate it is from the stress of loosing his father from such a young age." Aiya stared at the table feeling slightly shamed for being slightly rude to him when he wouldn't answer him. She looked at her and said "He is a good boy though, just as capable as any other lad in this whole village. His father would have been very proud if he could only see him today" Aiya smiled and nodded "Yes, I think he would be too. He is a good man" After finishing dinner, and a long talk about getting Aiya some clothes and a place to stay, she found herself feeling slightly at home in this strange new world.


	5. Conversation

Back at the tree…

Back at the tree…

Soren looked up for Aiya and called her name. The only thing that answered was silence.

He searched the tree and found no sign of her. Feeling slightly worried he jumped down and tried to call her. The air was still, making him more uncomfortable by the moment. Did she ditch him? No, her bike is still by the tree. "This phone is no longer in service…this phone is no longer in service…" was all he was hearing repeated in his ear. Ignoring the voice his phone remained in place as if he was waiting for her voice to answer over the operator. Pacing around the tree looking for some sign she was still there, he noticed roots of the tree were amok, following the train he noticed her bad was sitting next to door that sat under the tree. He never saw this door before, where did it go. Peeking inside the tunnel he yelled for her, only to hear his echo yell back at him. Grabbing her bag he slowly made his way into the dark tunnel, half curious and half scared for her.

In the new world….

Aiya has been helping around the house while she remained there. Edan's mother invited her to stay in the house until she was ready to get back on her own feet. His mother's name was Beth. Aiya felt like she had no were to go until she knew how to get back to the tree. Aiya was usually tasked with cleaning the house and feeding the chickens in the pens next to the house. While they both worked, Edan was no where to be found. Beth told her that he had to go back on patrol in the forest. During the warm afternoon, they grabbed two baskets and headed out to forage strawberries in a field near the village gate. During their walk, Beth told her more about her family, and how the village is such a great place. When they started to pick their first batch of berries, a horn blew a long bellowing tune coming from a watch tower nearby. Beth quickly grabbed Aiya and told her to take the baskets back home and wait for her there. Noticing other villages running to the origin of the horn, she nodded and ran as quickly as she could home while Beth ran to the front gate.

Aiya started to store the strawberries in a fruit basket when the door abruptly opened with Edan being supported by Beth and another man. His head hung low, as his feet barley supported himself. His clothes were torn and his armor was removed to expose the fresh wounds on his side. Beth was panting as she struggled with her sons weight "Aiya, go grab some towels and water!" Aiya hesitated at the sight but quickly ran to the kitchen room and grabbed the necessary supplies. With water pale in hand, and wraps in another she found them in his room trying to make him comfortable on his bed. The other man said "I have to go back; a couple others have been wounded as well. There was a whole pack of them this time, they are started to cross the boundary lines and we chased them out. I don't know for how long though.." Beth nodded and he left at that moment. Beth took the pale from Aiya and dipped clothes into the cold water and attempted to clean his wounds. Aiya noticed she couldn't stand to see her son in such a state. "Beth, I can take care of him if you need some rest, I know first aid." She looked at her in confusion. Aiya mentally slapped herself for saying 'first aid'. She restated "First aid in my village means medicine. I can help him, it doesn't look too bad, and he just needs some patchwork done." Beth looked at her son but nodded; she didn't say another word but left them to start work in the kitchen. Aiya grabbed a small rag and started to clean the dirt and dried blood that covered his chest. His shirt was already removed, making it easer for her to access the wounds. His breaths were shallow, it didn't seem like he lost a lot of blood. It was more out of pure exhaustion. A long cut followed his ribs on the right side of his chest. She cleaned it to the best she could, she didn't have any alcohol or a type of cleaner to prevent infection so the water would have to do. She cleaned the rest of his torso and dressed the rest of his wounds, before moving to his head. He had a slight cut under his chin that would heal in the matter of days, but she wanted to clean it as well.

The cold rag caused him to awaken from his state and stare at her in confusion. "Your mom is in the kitchen, I'm taking care of you for now…just relax". He rested his head back in submission but still kept his eyes fixed on her hands as if he was still not able to trust her. She dabbed the rag over his wound and attempted to clean his face. The room was warm with silence; she wished she could ask him how this happened. She didn't think he would tell her even if he could. "I think after a couple days of rest, you will be on your feet in no time" she said optimistically. His face remained a stone. She nervously tried to change the subject "I mean, if you're a fast healer it could be less…hehe." He sighed and turned his head slightly away staring at the brick wall beside him. Aiya sighed and said softly "I am sorry, for not knowing earlier…that you can't…." He turned to her as if he was finally interested in what she was saying. "I know how it feels, not to be able to tell someone how you really feel. Being silent against your own will. There are lots of things I wish I could have said ….should of said." She thought about how she felt about Soren. He was in love with her, but she didn't know if she felt the same yet she never had the heart to tell him. Edan searched her eyes as if he was listening to what she was thinking. She smiled at him and said "I am wrong; I will never know how it feels to be like you. I am sorry for saying that". She was about to stand, when his arm grabbed her wrist shocking her. She looked back at him to see her staring in her eyes again, like he was reading her whole sole as if it was a book in front of him. He looked at her in a way that made her see he understood her. After the brief moment of the quiet conversation that was taking place, he released her and lay back gently onto his bed. She felt slightly dumbstruck and left the room in awe, but she felt relieved slightly that he acknowledged her. What ever he saw in her bad or good, she was happy he knew she existed.


	6. Evacuation

Days passed

Days passed. Soren still was weak but he could at least move around. For once, in the whole time Aiya has been there, she watched him and his mother actually interact. She noticed she was able to understand him by just looking at his expression. The motherly bond between her and him was so strong, it made her feel homesick. Her mom was in a different state back home. She probably didn't even know she was missing. Her father must be a total wreck now though. This feeling of being homesick was coming over her, she would have to get used to it though.

"Soren I need you to take Aiya to the strawberry field again, we never finished picking a large enough batch and the one we got is already rotten. So, go now before it gets too dark" Beth said as she started her usual bread batch in the kitchen.

Soren just stared at her, while his mother raised her brow and began to tap her foot. The quiet room only intensified the moment. The silent battle made Aiya slightly nervous as she wrapped her arms around her waist as if she was trying to squeeze herself to a point she would disappear.

"Don't argue, it needs to be done."

With out another word Soren turned away and went to retrieve the baskets. Aiya played with her fingers while waiting for him to fetch the tools. "How are you able to, you know….talk to him? It's as if you can talk to him without even saying a word!" Aiya asked in curiosity. Beth went silent. Her fingers plowed through a batch of bread dough and molded it. She said in almost a whisper "You don't need to speak in order to express yourself to someone Aiya. Words can not describe complicated emotions. When you love some one for instance, all you have to do is look at that person and you can really understand how they feel. It's like talking through your facial expressions. I know Soren because I am his mother, so I know almost every expression he makes. When he first became mute, I struggled to understand him…so it does take time. Once you get to know him, you will know what I mean."

Those words repeated in her head as they made their way to the field. The quiet afternoon seemed endless as the sun remained in the sky. The town was alive. It seemed like the whole purpose of it was to be happy and live in a functional way. People were always smiling. It is as if they never had a tragedy hit their lives before. This almost made Aiya jealous of the happy townsfolk. After a long silent walk, they finally made it to the strawberry field. Edan quickly began to pick the berries as if he was in a rush to be somewhere. Aiya tried to keep up with his pace, but ended up ruining several berries in the process. She was envious of how he picked them so quickly without breaking any part, he also had a good eye. His mother must have taught him well. Aiya finally decided to break the ice. "Wow, you're really good at this!" She said smiling at him. He looked at her for a moment and quickly went back to work. She bit her lip and tried to think of something else. "When I was a kid, my grandma would take me to a blueberry trail in Illinois" He looked at her in question. "Illinois is a region where I come from, anyway...she used to take me along and grab as must berries as we could so we can make her famous blueberry pie. It used to take hours but in the end, it was totally worth it." She continued. He continued to pick berries without even glancing at her. "I would end up with the smallest batch because I couldn't resist eating the good ones along the way." She laughed and picked a big red juicy strawberry. Gazing at its freckled beauty she sighed and said chuckling "I would come home with blue stains all over my shirt and she would ask 'Did you eat all your berries?' and I would say 'No…a squirrel kept throwing them at me, so I couldn't get any'. When we got back, she gave everyone their own mini pies and left me with only a small slice and told me 'Next time you tell that squirrel you want to make a pie out of its berries so it will share with you next time'". She sighed at the memory, talking to him was almost like talking to herself. He didn't say anything. It was the same feeling when she went to the tree to relax. It was almost just as peaceful. She only wished that unlike the tree he would talk back to her.

On the way back home, Aiya watched the sun disappear over the luminous mountains. The exquisite beauty drew her to awe reminding her of how magical this place really is. The only noise in the distance was cows settling down, the wind kissing the grass goodnight, and the sound of their footsteps on the faded road. The smell of the strawberries was seducing Aiya to take one and indulge it while she could. The only thing stopping her was behaving in front of Edan. She eyed the largest one in her basket, as if she was devouring it with her eyes. How she wished she could feel the beloved texture of the red juicy fruit on her tongue. With out any warning, her beloved piece of fruit was taken from her basket and eaten by Edan in front of her very eyes. He lopped the fruit down in only a few bites and grinned at her. For the first time she has been with him, she has seen him smile. She laughed and said "So I guess you knew I was wanting that very one huh". He grabbed another one and took only one bite and acted as if he was teasing her on how good it tasted. She rolled her eyes and said "I won't fall for it; I learned my lesson when I was younger, and I know your mom is not going to believe a squirrel fought me for strawberries" He smirked and took the berry and did the unthinkable. He dove it into her sleeve of her dress and smeared it into a large noticeable mark. Shocked Aiya could only gasp while she couldn't move her hands while holding the large basket. He was able to hold his while destroy her dignity. She looked at him in a pout face " This is the only dress your mom had that fit me! And now I am going to get blamed for eating the strawberries she needs for baking! She had a count and everything you jerk". He closed his eyes and threw his head back silently laughing. She could only imagine what his laugher would sound like, either way it was nice to see his attitude change. Eying him she gained distance from him and replied "Ooo….you are so on my list buddy. When we get back I am so.." She was immediately cut off by the horn blast from before, but they were in a more fearful tone. Edan's facial expression changed as quickly as the horns did. He looked at her and started to urge them to jog the rest of the way. Dropping a few berries she obediently complied but looked behind her trying to see what was causing them so sound such an alarm.

They were met by his mother at the door as if she had been waiting for them when the alarm set off. She waved them in "Hurry, we need to get inside. Put the baskets in the kitchen and turn off all the lights". Quickly doing as told, Aiya and Beth scurried around the house blowing out every lantern and candle. Edan had other plans. Dawning his armor and sword he was ready to charge out the door when his mother stopped him in his tracks. "No! Your still too weak, you would only be a burden to the rest of the soldiers. You need to help Aiya and I get the rest of the women and children to the river." He sighed and clutched the handle on his sword. Finally giving in he nodded and they all left their home together.

Aiya was having a hard time walking in Beth's and Edan's pace. What ever was happening it must be very serious. She finally was able to have enough breath to ask her. "What's going on? Why are we going to the river?" They were joined by the rest of the towns' women and their children. "Shhhhhh….keep your voice down. I will explain later." Beth remained in the front of the large group guiding them through a stealthy forest path. Aiya tried to stay as close to Edan as possible. The intensity of the situation made her think it must have something to do with the wolves. She was beginning to hope none of the men got hurt while protecting them. Edan tapped her slightly and looked at her with concern. She nodded and gave him a reassuring smile to hide her discomfort. He kept her close to him, for any moment they were separated by the crowd he would look for her and guide her to him. The walk was long and silent. Even though their was a large crowd of people you could barley hear a sound, or even breath. It was if they were all one person. At the end, Aiya was greeted with relief by the sound of a river. It was too dark to see it, but they all were able to gather by the bank side. Beth formed them close together and said in a monotone voice "As you all know, something bad has happened to call for this evacuation. The lupe have been pushing their boundaries the past few weeks and finally made a breaking point. A small group has established a camp only a few miles from our town. We have sent a few scouts to only have one return and tell us the news that they were planning to attack this night. The king has issued the order to evacuate to the safe zone until further notice. His massager didn't give me any further information on to what he plans on doing. All I know is the men have been sent to fortify the town in hopes to trap the lupe with out the risk of us being there." Aiya gulped slightly, her palms began to sweat as she listened intently with the rest of the group. "I don't know the reason for these sudden attacks. The king's messenger said he was not willing to disclose that information. He said that the royal guard will visit us tonight to give us further instructions. For now everyone should be prepared to make camp for the night. Do not make any fires and maintain your voices. They want us to not distract the lupe in anyway" she said in conclusion and the group quietly broke away to make their temporary homes.

The night was intense. Everyone was sound asleep except for Aiya. Edan was keeping watch while Beth slept next to Aiya. The forest seemed as if it was awake as well. No animals made any noise. The wind remained silent as if it was scolded. The only thing that moved during the night was Edan patrolling the grounds.

The next morning, they all slept in. No one wanted to be responsible to being the first one up it seemed. Staying awake during the hours of the night had its toll on Aiya. She was trying to catch up on some sleep while she felt slightly safer in the morning light. Beth stirred and looked up at her son standing on watch. She got up and told him quietly "Get some sleep, I will take it from here." He nodded and walked to the spot she had by Aiya. Maintaining his space he lied down and with in moments fell asleep. Aiya knew he was by here but was too tired to care. The only thing allowed to run through her mind was "What is going to happen to us?"

The rest of the day, everyone remained silent. The children we either bored or fast asleep. Aiya eventually was wide awake and remained sitting next to Edan. His soft breaths were almost relaxing to her. It reminded her of how Soren was when he was asleep. The memory of Soren made her stomach cringe. It was another burden to linger in her mind. Where was he? Was he even looking for her? Maybe she should be the one to look for him.


	7. Summoned

They waited the whole day with out saying a word to each other

They waited the whole day with out saying a word to each other. The cold river only made the climate more unbearable for the tired and weary women and children. Aiya stayed awake next to Edan. He was still sleeping off after being up all night. They waited, for any sign of the king's royal guard.

Wrapping her arms around her knees, Aiya tried to stay warm as possible. They were fairly close to the highlands, where it was always snowing making it difficult for her to maintain her heat. After a moment of shivering she was shocked to feel a warm coat placed over her shoulders. Beth had come behind her and wrapped it around her. "I just went back to get some supply's, we might be here longer than we think." Aiya looked up at her in question "How long?" Beth sat by her and covered her son with a coat similar to the one she gave to Aiya. "It could be another night. I think the kings men are coming today though." She continued and handed her a small loaf of bread. "Wake him up soon so he can eat some lunch." She said as she went around the makeshift camp and handed out bread and coats.

Aiya took a good bite of her bread before attempting to wake Edan. She literally attempted to make him up; he was out like a dead man. She finally began to shake him only to have him inhale deeply and stare at her like she was a mad woman. "You mom wants you to eat something, here." She said as she handed him a loaf. He stretched throwing his long arms in the air inhaling a fresh yawn. She felt sorry for him, being one of the only males in the camp. He must be so exhausted from staying up all night. As he ate his lunch, Aiya firmly stated "I want to help you tonight, keeping watch." He looked at her in shock and gulped a piece of bread. With a shake of his head she sighed in defeat. She figured he would disagree but that wouldn't stop her. "I can help you know, we can take shifts. That way you are more alert on watch." He continued to shake his head. She said in frustration "I am going to watch tonight, either you can take shifts with me or I will be up all night with you." He sighed, feeling she wouldn't give in he finally nodded and finished his bread. He tapped the spot where she was sleeping, motioning her to get some rest. She blushed slightly but nodded and lay next to him. The cold ground caused her to shiver and tighten the coat around her body. She suddenly felt a warm relief when she accidentally brushed her leg with his. She quickly retracted her leg and looked at him in fear of personal space issues. He was sound asleep. His chest raised slowly much like Soren's did that one time. Seeing him there by her made her feel homesick. She hugged her stomach and curled her body feeling slightly better. She looked up at him to see him still sleeping peacefully. She reached her hand to brush his cheek and felt his warm breath against her hand. She sighed and gave in to herself. Pulling herself close to him she boldly curled herself into him and stole his warm heat. Edan's eyes slightly opened when he felt her against him. He didn't move away from her like he thought he should have. Instead he was shocked when he moved his own arm around her to pull her even closer to him. This was dangerous he thought. She was not his, and he knew it. Although she never talked about having another lover, he could tell she belonged to someone else. His own desires weighed over his morals for that one moment. For this one moment, he wanted to feel this pleasure of just having her in his arms. The past few weeks he had began to care for Aiya. This bond he had for her was making him feel slightly fearful of the thought of loosing her. Even his mother was beginning to care for her. She would have to leave someday though, he knew it was coming. He could feel it. How he wished he could stop it, and just stay in this one moment.

The night was much colder than the day. Aiya wanted to start her first shift with him so she knew what she was looking for. They quietly took positions around the camp checking for any sign of the guards or anything that posed a threat to the vulnerable camp. The dark eerie night sent chills down her spine, along with the cold breeze that came with it.

After hours of waiting for nothing to happen, Edan tapped her on the shoulder and gave her a look. "I am not going to fall asleep, I swear." He shook his head and pointed to a small light coming from down river. She focused her eyes and saw two guards mounted on black horses, fording downriver to them. Their long wet legs trampled through the water furiously as they approached the alert pair. The guard dismounted his horse and approached them with his staggering stature. His large shoulders crossed his body like a large crane. His armor expanded to fit his build making him seem even more intimidating. Edan's back tensed as he stared at him directly in the eye as if he was nothing more than a mere child. "The king has orders to summon the person extracted from the Highlands a few weeks ago." said the tall soldier while Edan's expression turned defensive. Aiya hesitated about saying anything. How did they know about her? She assumed rumors of her rescue must have spread through out the small village but it seemed odd that the king would want anything to do with it. Maybe the fact she came out of a magical tunnel could bring up some interest. Edan shook his head and turned away pulling Aiya along with him. The soldier looked at him offended and yelled at him "Hey! I am talking to you boy! I know your mute, but you will dam well pay your respect to me as a night to the king!" Edan didn't even look back; Aiya glanced over her shoulder to see the soldier following them. "Boy! You will show me where this person is! Your king demands to speak to them." Aiya hesitated and looked at Edan for an answer. He shook his head and had them continue to the heart of the camp. They were abruptly stopped when Edan was forced to turn around by the angry officer. He held a sword to his neck and grabbed his arm in a fierce death grip. Aiya gasped and tried to free him only to be pushed down to the ground by the other soldier.

By that time, the commotion caused the entire camp to awake and wonder what was going on. Beth was awaken by one of the other woman and began to quickly run through the camp to the center of the issue.

"I'll give you one more chance, his majesty demands to see this person! I have no problem killing a snotty lad like you if it means to make an example of this poor foolish village." He snarled while driving the blade closer to his skin. Edan remained stone, his mouth furled tight as his fists clenched. The guard tested his limits by drawing a small amount of blood across his neck. Aiya couldn't just sit their and watch him get hurt like that and tried to attack him again "Let him go! He has done nothing wrong!" The guard snorted and the other man grabbed her and drew his own dagger to her neck. His armor pinched her sides as he held her firmly. His stench caused her nose to cringe and try to look away. "I would be quiet lass, or you will be getting much worse done to you than your friend." He said in a snaky scratchy voice. Edan's bearing broke as the guard held her. He tried to free himself only to be reminded of his own captor. "Now lets try this again, before things get.." he glanced at Aiya and smirked and back at him "a little bloody. Where is the one from the forest?"

"What is going on here?" Beth's voice appeared through the crowd of frightened villagers. The soldiers recognized her and released the two and bowed slightly. "Lady Beth... the king requests an audience with the one brought from the highlands. Immediately." Beth looked at her son and Aiya in fear and question. She shook her head and said "I see, well if the king's wishes…" Edan looked at her in anger. "Then it must be done." She said in a monotone voice. She walked up to Aiya as if she was convicting her to the gallows. Edan stormed away into the crowd making Aiya's heart sink." I do not know what he wishes of you but know this; the king is not a kind man. His heart is dark and cruel. Your presence must have triggered the recent attacks and the king may want to eliminate the problem. If for any reason this is true, you must run. Do you understand?" she said in her ear. She nodded and bit her lip. The idea of her causing these people pain was more than enough for her to willingly leave them. The only thing holding her back was…

"Is this her?" the guard said nervously. Feeling slightly dumbfounded that the person he was manhandling was the person they were looking for. Beth nodded and said softly "Yes". The guard nodded and placed his hand on her back and began to lead her to his horse. Aiya looked back as if she was waiting for someone to stop them. The crowd of people looked at her as if she was one of their own children. Beth's cheeks were slowly trickling with tears as an elder woman embraced her. The night picked her up and placed him on his saddle giving her the feeling of being taken away from her home. She looked for Edan, and wished he would say good bye to her. Those false feelings of hope made her heart ache in pain. She already lost Soren, now she was loosing another friend that made her feel safe in the world, well in this world at least. She wished she could at least say goodbye. The nights heals drove into the sides of the horse making it rear in defiance and gallop into the darkness of the night towards the castle in the distance. As they left she looked to the river and saw her new family disappear through the night.


	8. Wordless Confession

Aiya stared at the large castle in fear

Aiya stared at the large castle in fear. Her heart raced through her chest almost ready to a point shed swears it would fly out of her. The knight's arm around her made her feel even more uncomfortable. As they approached the gate, the sun began to rise over their backs. The guard signaled the gatekeeper and waited for them to lower the bridge. The cold morning breeze stung her nostrils making her feel slightly sick. The gate fell to the ledge with a large thud making the ground shake from the shock of the harsh weight. When they went through the gate, the bridge creaked showing its defined age. When they stopped inside the castle walls, they were greeted by a large group of men in colorful clothing. They had feathers coming out of their coats, and large hats that made Aiya chuckle at the sight. They reminded her of large peacocks that came out of a painting by Andy Warhol. The guards dismounted and pulled her down. A large man with several ugly feathers on his coat bowed and greeted "I am your guide for you current stay here, please follow me". Aiya raised a brow and hesitantly followed the very colorful man. No one in the right mind would wear such flagrant colors.

He led her into a large room with beautiful carpets that lead to the throne chairs. There the king sat, his head leaned over his arm as he waited for them to approach. His long blonde hair crossed in front of his face hiding his eyes. She could not tell if he was asleep by the posture he was in. As the got closer, she could see his eyes wide awake and opened. His dark blue pools darted at her in interest that made her feel uncomfortable. The colorful man bowed bringing his hand over her shoulders and pushed her down forcing her to follow the gesture. The king nodded and sat up waiting for him to speak. The man stood up and said "This is the woman found in the Highlands. As you summoned." The king stood making the man quiver in fear. He pointed the door and sternly ordered "Leave us…". The man did not have to be told twice, and quickly scurried out the door.

Aiya looked the king in the eye. She had to admit, he was intimidating but not exactly what she had in mind of a tyrant ruler that everyone talked about. He grinned and walked down his throne and began to circle her "So you're the one everyone is putting the blame for the Lupe uproar." Aiya blushed slightly. Everyone was blaming her for the attacks? This made her feel sick inside. She should of left when she could, she was only causing pain for the people she cared about. The king stopped by her side and said "Tell me why." Aiya shook her head and said "I don't know what the Lupe is." She stared at him in pure question. She was trying to be honest, but this guy just doesn't get it. "I know exactly who you are, Aiyana" he said firmly causing her to shiver slightly inside. No one ever called her by her full name except for Edan and Beth. She just met this guy. "I know how you came from a different world. You entered the doorway at the root of a large tree did you not?"

His words caused her whole body to tremble slightly. The whole time she had been there she had begun to think she was loosing her mind. She had a hard time convincing herself that she came here through a tree. She never even mentioned it to Beth or Edan.

"Wait wait wait! Back up…first of all how did you know I came from the tree?"

"You have been prophesied to appear for generations. My family has been recently ruling the lands for the last ten generations. Each has passed down the legend of a young woman passing through a tree and finding our world. The woman was to become the protector of all of Makiran. The Lupe is a different people from us. They have wanted to rule the lands and put all our people into slavery. Not for labor, but for the blood they would harvest on to keep them alive. They are almost to what some would call werewolves for they turn into large wolves in the night, but during the day they walk as vampire like creatures. They can sustain the sun, yet are vulnerable at that stage. They have been terrorizing our villages trying to find any information on you. That is why they have been guarding the Highlands, so they would try to kill the heroin on sight. Our guard has made a fine boundary that keeps them at bay but they still do not fear us as much as we fear them. I am rather curious. How did you escape their hold on the Highlands?"

Aiya felt slightly sad at the memory of first meeting Edan. How she wished she could find a way to repay him for saving her. She would find him when this all ended and find a way. She said "A man named Edan saved me. He killed a wolf that was stalking me. He took me in and cared for me along with Lady Beth. They have been very kind to me." The king nodded at the explanation. He strokes his finger on his chin in deep thought. The silence only made the room seem larger to Aiya. He finally spoke "You must understand, as much as it seem a good thing to our kingdom that you appear, you are still a threat to me. It is also said that the woman would inherit the throne and rule into the new age. The only way one can take the throne is to either kill the one in it, or marry into it." Her eyes widened. She couldn't kill him. How could she kill anyone? And she would decently not marry him either. She always imagined she would marry for love. This was no exception to that. He chuckled and circled her once more. "I do not imagine you having enough strength to face me, but I do not mind having such a beautiful woman by my side but I already have a few other women in mind. This is a very hard decision; maybe after this is all over I should keep you just as my personal servant." She faced him in anger, clutching her fists she said in anger "You selfish pig! How can you be so power hungry? If what you say is true, then me becoming the ruler would be the best thing for your people right? I am not going to become your slave after you use me like that! Don't you have any god dam morals?!" She felt herself slightly lean as she yelled at him. After catching her breath, she met the floor as he threw her to the ground. He grasped a handful of her hair and lifted her head to his as he knelt over her. His lips whispered through her ear making it almost difficult to hear "After all of this, you should be thankful to be alive. Unlike my father before me, I am not a very kind king but his will stated that I protect this country and do what I see fit. I will give you two options, you can rot inside the dungeon of the castle, or you can stay in my castle and obey my rules. Either way, you will do your job and protect my people. You will not ever speak to me in such manner again, do you understand?" His breath ranged over her face making her cringe. Small warm tears welded around her eyes not wanting to move. She nodded and he released her. "My servants will assist you in any way needed, but remember I am the ruler of this castle. You disobey any of my orders and you will find yourself in the dungeon or worse." She started to get up when he finished with the words that made her heart sink "Do not even think of escaping. I will find you no mater what, and if I find you with anyone else I will have them killed on sight."

After she was dismissed, the servants took her to her new room. The room was more of a prison to her. She had two guards at the door at all times allowing no one to pass. Only the seamstresses were allowed in the room to take her sizes for her new clothes she would be required to wear in the castle. The room was large but the darkness made her feel like a child again. Running to the bed, she collapsed and hid under the blankets. This was all beginning to become too much for her. She curled against the large pillow and tried to fall asleep. The sound of silence made it more difficult to sleep than that of a large blasting radio at night. She was suddenly startled at the sound of her window being knocked upon. Looking outside she saw a large tree scraping along the glass. She approached the window in caution only to jump when she saw a hand reach up and tap it again. Almost about to scream her lungs out, she was relieved to see Edan pulling himself up the window sill.

"Edan! What are you doing? How did you? Never mind, get inside before you fall!"

She helped the struggling male into her room and shut the windows behind her. When all was secure she turned quickly to him and tackled him with a large hug.

"I am so sorry! I didn't get to say goodbye, I really missed you."

His face stared at her in shock as she spoke into his chest. He patted her back awkwardly but then felt tears begin to soak his shirt. Aiya clutched him while hiding her face away. He tilted her face up to see her puffy eyes dripping with sorrow. He looked at her for an answer. "I just missed you thats all." She said sobbing. He looked at her in disbelief and noticed something else must have happened. He knew it would, for the king has done many evils to his own citizens. The thought of the king laying a hand on her made him swell with anger. He depressed it knowing it would do her no good if he was to start a quarrel with the king. All he could do was comfort her.

Aiya wiped her tears and smiled up at him. "I am sorry for all that, I just have been going through an emotional rollercoaster lately." He tilted his head in confusion. "Oh roller coaster means…ahh forget it." She released him and sat up by him. "Why did you come here? Is something wrong? I know everyone was saying the king is a bad guy, he seemed okay to me though." He snorted and rolled his eyes. Grapping a piece of parchment from the desk and a pen he began to write in a strange language. Aiya shook her head and said "I don't know what that means." He sighed and began to draw a picture of him and her. She envied his artistic talents. "You are here to help me?" she asked. This sort of reminded her of playing shrades with Soren and the Parker boys at home. This made her feel even more homesick. He nodded and started to stand up and lift her to him.

"_If I find you with anyone else I will have them killed on sight."_

His words rang through her mind as loud as a church bell. She pushed herself away from him making him look at her dumbstruck. "I can't go. You have to understand. It's very complicated." He shook his head and grabbed her arm and led her to the window. She protested and tried to release his grip. "No! Stop it Edan! Please understand! Just leave me here! I will be alright I pro…" she continued but was stopped as his lips crashed over hers, silencing her. Her heart raced, making it impossible for her to breathe. His warm lips claimed hers while his arms wrapped around her. What was this she feeling? This kiss was not the same feeling as the one she had with Soren. It was sweeter. It was warmer. It was stronger.

He broke the kiss and rested his head in her neck. This was why he came. It was for her. She realized that all now. He wanted to protect her because he loved her. She always thought he found her annoying. Would she be able to return her love to him though? She had already given her love to Soren, but did she really love him. She brushed her hands up to his back embracing him. "We can't do this to ourselves. I only lead to pain and loss. You have to realize that. You deserve so much better, I am just a burden to you." He shook his head and placed hers between his hands and faced him up to her. He stroked her lips with his finger and mouthed words that anyone would be able to notice.

"_I love you"_

She looked up at him almost in tears. How could he love her when he found out the king's plans for her? She would be locked away for life, and never see him again. He couldn't climb up through her window every day. They were a doomed Romeo and Juliet. For some reason, all this didn't seem to matter to her though. She finally admitted "I love you too.." He grinned and kissed her again sending all her worries down the drain. She felt herself accepting him. She was happy with him. The only thing that made her heart sink was the thought of her betraying Soren. She broke the kiss and looked out the window. "You should go, before the servants return." He sighed and nodded. She smiled at his and gently placed a kiss on his cheek. "I don't think anything I can say would convince you to not return, but if you do….please don't get caught." A large grin stretched across his face as he nodded and opened the window to slip down the tree to the ground. With a soft goodbye from her lips, he left into the night back to the village.

In the shadows near the tower where the scene took place, two lupe were watching the whole time. The two red eyes stared at the tower while crouching low in the brush. The youngest one was larger with a reddish brown coat, while the other gleamed with a silver lining. "She is under a spell young blood. We will retrieve her when the time is right." The younger male's hackles rose as he watched the man walk so carelessly away from them. His heart raced, screaming for him to tear him to shreds. Just as he was about to thrust out into the open he was stopped by his mentor. "Not yet, we must wait for her to come to us. You will have your chance for revenge…Soren"


	9. Understanding

The next day, Aiya was given a tour of the castle by one of the main servants

The next day, Aiya was given a tour of the castle by one of the main servants. It was not as intimidating as it was on the outside. The interior was well kept, although some of the art displayed showed a lot of violent macabre themes. One of the pictures caught her eye that made her mind grow with questions. A large wolf lurched over helpless fawn that faced his predator with no fear. Outlining the forest was a hunter, aiming an arrow to the girth of the animal. She could only imagine what happened next. The wolf dying a slow and painful death as the fawn lives to see another day. But what if, the hunter missed and the wolf mauled the delicate fawn to bits. The depressing picture made her wonder why a Lupe themed picture dwelled agelessly on the hallway wall. Perhaps the king felt more dominant by showing off his enemies to give fear to his servants. The king had such a huge ego, he reminded her of Napoleon Bonaparte.

As she continued down the hall, ignoring the blabbering of the servants gossip, she noticed a slightly oddball picture that remained outcaste in the shadows of the next hallway. The frame was rotten giving it an aged look. Inside the frame, a picture of a young man with child rested in the darkness of the shadow. It was a beautiful painting; it almost reminded her of something Leonardo de Vinci would create. The man had to be in his early twenties, possibly younger. His face stared into the child in pure bliss; it must have been the happiest moment in his life. While she was analyzing the work of art, one of the servants said softly "That was the king, before he became such a monster."

"He has a child?"  
"He used to; the child's mother fell in love with a Lupe and ran away to the Highlands with his son. He was devastated. He had every soldier go after them, and went mad with grief. He spent weeks on campaigns after them. It all went downhill when he eventually found them both dead in the forest."

"What happened?"

"The Lupe killed her. You see, the Lupe is an evil race. They knew the kings weakness, his family. He loved his wife and when he had their son he couldn't be any happier. He was a kind king. They lured her away in a false illusion and killed her in the forest. After that, he never trusted any women. He hates them as much as he seems to hide it. That entire year following her death, he harassed and even had some servant girls killed. The main reason for his distrust was she lied to him that night. If only she was still alive, he would be such a better person. She kept his sanity in check."

"I see…" Aiya said mainly to herself.

The servants later took her back to her room. Fortunately, she was given enough privacy when they presented her new wardrobe to change. The long flowing gown almost looked like something she would wear to a prom. It was a deep white with flowing silk attachments that flew as she moved. She was surprised that she was given such a beautiful dress. After gawking at herself in the mirror, she was escorted to the dinning hall only to be greeted by high nobles. Sadly, all were male. The men stared at her like a piece of meat ready to be served. She was seated by the king making her feel slightly awkward being the only lady at the whole table. The moment she was about to sit, a large horn blasted as the stair man announced the kings arrival. All stood up and faced the king as he briskly entered the dinning hall. The moment he sat, he waved his hand and the entire crowd sat on queue. A feast was automatically served the moment he sat down. Plates of large animals and delicious pastries were presented to the royal court. Aiya couldn't help but grab a few of the breads that were steaming near her face. The king did nothing but stare at the food set before him. Aiya looked up at him and asked quietly "Aren't you going to eat?" The entire court stared at her as if she yelled it out loud. He sighed said "Do not speak at the table woman. I will let this one go for now. The next time you have better learned your place in a room of men." Aiya blushed profusely. She never in her life thought she would willingly submit to such a sexist act. She nodded and slowly shrunk in her chair. The crowd quietly began to whisper and eventually gained their natural volume. The king sat there completely in silence. It was as if he was model being painted. Aiya only ate one piece of bread that night.

After the dinner, the guest was dismissed. Aiya looked for a servant to take her to her room but found them all extremely busy with cleaning up the mess. She figured this would be her best chance to go explore the castle on her own for once. She cleared the room in a perfect stealthy mode that made her proud inside. The moment she felt she was alone, she briskly began to walk through the dark halls. The utter darkness sent shivers around her skin. The halls were cold and almost felt damp to her. Aiya felt it was almost endless until she found herself face to face with a large door. She opened the creaky door to find a old room with a strong smell of age and neglect. The bed was made, but dust has settled onto it and created a grey layer over it. Cobwebs dangled over the ceiling, almost making it impossible to see the artwork under them. Aiya quietly entered the room and made her way past the bed trying not to move anything. The room was almost in shreds. The furniture looked as if it has been thrown against the wall followed by the broken glass that surrounded it. At the corner of the room Aiya noticed one thing that remained in tack. It was a large painting of a woman. Her long blond curls circled her body while her green dress complemented her skin tone. She looked as beautiful as Venus. Aiya brushed come of the dust away from her face to make her beauty shine even more through. As she peered closer she found something that distracted her. A small necklace dangled from the edge of the frame. She lifted it free and dusted off the tainted gold. It was in the shape of a circle. After cleaning it to the best of her possibility she found out it was a locket of some kind. The lock however, needed another part in order for her to open it. Her curiosity made her fiddle with the lock trying to manually open the lock to reveal its secrets.

While she fussed with the lock, she was caught off guard with a rough hand grasping her shoulder. She quickly turned around to see the King starring furiously right at her. She hesitated and stuttered trying to say something but the words remain trapped. He noticed the locket in her hand and quickly grabbed it away from her.

"First you speak out of place at dinner, now you are trying to rob me?" His hand tightened around her collar bone making her cry out in pain. He pushed her into the ground and released her. "Typical woman, always sneaking around. You are all the same. If you were not needed I would have you killed for this." He threatened as he stood over her. Aiya looked down at the ground and almost began to cry. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. She finally felt her release as she said "I understand why you're hurt. I know what it is like to have someone you love disappear and can do nothing about it." He looked at her in pure confusion and shock. She sobbed and finally had the courage to look at him "She loved you, I know she did." He remained a stone. Aiya could only breathe shallowly as he stared her down. After a long silence he grabbed her and picked her up. "You are never to come here again! If you do I will have you killed! You understand?!" With out even allowing her to answer he started to lead her out of the room. The walk to her room was awkwardly silent. After a while his grip slightly loosened but remained its firm presence on her arm. She could only wonder what her was thinking at that moment. When they finally reached her room he ordered the guards to open the door and keep her inside until morning. After the guards obeyed his order, he set her inside and left with out a word.

Aiya sat on her bed rubbing her arm. A small bruise began to develop around the wrist making her flitch as she touched it. She was suddenly started by the sound of tapping against her window. She looked over to see Edan sitting patiently on the window sill. Aiya quickly opened the window and closed it quietly trying not to rouse the guards. He dusted himself off with leaves and began to scan her noticing her new wardrobe. She blushed and turned away quickly "Don't look at me like that. The king had it made for me." He grunted and rolled his eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and turned her to him. His breath brushed against her cheek as softly kissed her. Her heart raced at this new greeting. He gripped her tighter only making her flinch when he touched her fresh wounds. He retracted and stared at her as if he committed a crime. He lifted a piece of the silk from her shoulder and revealed a large bruise around her collar bone. His eyes widened as he looked at her in question. She shook her head and waved her hands in front of him and said "Look its nothing, I'll be okay." He then noticed her wrist. His facial expression turned from worry to absolute anger. He turned to the door and pointed to it as if asking if it was the king who hurt her. She shook her head and said "Please, its nothing. I promise." He shook his head and began to walk to the door. Aiya quickly grabbed him and turning him to her. "Please, you will only make things worse. You know as well as I do that you stand no chance in acting upon rage. "She said holding him from moving. He sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. Aiya smiled and embraced him tightly. After a moment of calming down he surprised her by lifting her off her feet. He started to walk towards her bed sending her in an absolute panic mode. She wasn't ready for this. It was all moving so fast. He set her down gently and removed the blankets to cover her. Her blushing only caused him to roll his eyes. He kissed her forehead and sat next to her waiting for her to sleep. Aiya felt slightly stupid for thinking he would take advantage of her. She was slightly thankful he stayed with her until she slept. It was a nice feeling to have him by her, it reminded her of being back at his house. She felt safe again.

The king rested on his bed dangling the locket over his eyes. It swung gently as moved like a pendulum. His heart filled with sorrow at the memory of her. How could she possibly feel the same pain he had suffered? He had lost everything. For some reason, hearing her words made him feel slightly concluded. Maybe, she was right. Did she really love him like she said? The feelings of hope made his heart sink at the reminder of being constantly defeated when it came to those things.


	10. Strawberry Blossoms and Midnight Plans

The next day, Aiya noticed the entire castle was slightly quiet

The next day, Aiya noticed the entire castle was slightly quiet. She was on her way to breakfast when she was surprised by the king waiting at the table. Aiya quietly slipped into her chair, trying not to make any eye contact with him. Why was he here? She never in her entire time of stay saw him around in the morning let alone at the guests dinning room. A servant nervously set two plates of breakfast before them. Not sure what to do, Aiya picked at her plate even though she was very hungry. He was actually eating. She was shocked; apparently he never ate from what the servants told her. He would order food in his room and prepare it himself. This made her feel awkward and wondered if this new event had to do with last nights issue. She took a bite out of her egg and stared at her place as if the silence was holding her hostage. "You may go outside from now on. Only during the day, and you must remain close to the castle and village. The Lupe have brought back their lines, and our guard has tightened. " He said surprising her yet again. She didn't know if she should scream in joy or ask for a catch. She only could nod and smile to herself.

Immediately after breakfast, she excused herself and ran to her room to find cloths to go see Edan in. Slipping on one of her new red dresses, she ran to the front gate ready to surprise him. She stared at the two large pillars that once confined her to the palace. A soft breeze seeped through the door beckoning her to pass. The tower gate keeper nodded and opened the door slightly to allow her to pass. She was free, even though she had some boundaries, the feeling felt good to her.

The walk to the house was far shorter than it used to be because of the adrenalin rush coming from inside her. She wanted to see him so badly. Short visits before she slept were not enough for her. She even missed Beth and her delicious bread rolls. All of these thoughts made her heart beat through her chest. As she got closer to the house, she could hear Beth scolding Edan over something. Even the sound of her anger was slightly welcoming to her. As she stood upon the threshold of the door she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A short silence made Aiya feel slightly awkward before the door finally opened revealing a four covered Beth and a shocked Edan behind her. A smile stretched across her face before she practically tackled Aiya with a rib crushing hug. "It is so good to see you! I have missed you so much my dear! How did you escape? The king, he hasn't hurt you in any way has he?" She said examining her. Aiya smiled and assured her "He said I can go into the village during the day, so long as I return by night." Edan walked behind her and motioned his mom to let her in the house. Beth laughed and pulled her inside. They ate a well wanted lunch and talked about what has been happening while they were gone. She learned that the village had been moved back from the safety river a few hours after she left to the king. She also learned the Lupe have mysteriously been keeping low for the past few weeks. Aiya couldn't help but notice Edan smirking at her every time his mother looked away. This only made her blush making Beth slightly confused creating laughter between the three. After cleaning off the table, Edan surprised her by grabbing her wrist and leading her outside. He quietly led her away from the house into the valley by the forest. Aiya laughed as they ran through the long grassy field. The tawny leaves flew in all directions as they ran like small children. He finally stopped at the bottom of a large hill. He grabbed her hand yet again and smiled. She could only blush yet again as he looked at her like that. His smile was perfect; it was full of love and happiness. It reminded her of someone. It was someone important. She just couldn't remember who at the moment. When they reached the top of the hill, Aiya was surprised by a field full of strawberry blossoms. She gasped in awe of the spectacular sight. The field was covered in perfect white blossoms. Each blossom was perfect and in full bloom. Aiya said in absolute awe "Its beautiful.." He smiled and lifted her hand and kissed it softly. His eyes stared up at her while his lips curved into his perfect smile. Those eyes, why do they look so familiar to her? He released her and fell down to the plushy grass. His long torso stretched across the area making her feel slightly small compared to him. She felt slightly nervous when he looked up at her as if wondering if she was going to lay next to him or not. She blushed again and hesitated. Rolling his eyes, he sat up and grabbed her ankles sending her flying back into the soft grass. "Hey!! What was that for?!" She said laughing. He laughed silently. Even though his mouth moved in silence, she could only imagine what his voice really sounded like. She brought herself closer to him and gently kissed his silent lips. "I only wish there was a way I could hear your voice…"she said in her mind. The couple remained on the hill for hours until it was time for her to part. He escorted her back to the castle, making sure she was safe the moment she entered the gates.

**Little did they know, the entire time they were on the hill; someone was watching them the whole time. Soren remained hidden inside the darkness of the forest as he watched this man hold the woman he loved. His hands turned into fists as he watched them embrace in a lover's moment. Those were his lips that he desired. Those were her eyes that he drowned in every time he saw her. That was his love that he should be holding this very moment. His master, Anastilus, ordered him to stay afar from her until the next stage of their plan has been completed. Master promised to retrieve Aiya from them if he became one of them. The moment he came out of the tree, all he could do was think of finding Aiya. Even if that meant giving up being human for her he was willing to do it. The change was painful, but it would be worth it. The revenge would be glorious for him. The feeling of tearing that man to shreds with his wolf claws would give him absolute satisfaction. He would have his Aiya back. Even if it means waiting a little longer to ready himself for such a battle, it was worth the wait. After he saw Aiya enter the castle, he followed the man who bewitched her. How he wanted to rip him to shreds that very moment. He was going to have his chance and when he did, he would regret even setting eyes on Aiya. After finding where this man lived, he grew bored of watching the old woman roll dough through the window. He left back into the forest to the village of the Lupe. **

**The sun was setting quickly, making his pace quicken. Finally making it to the hidden village, he was surprised to see all the council circled around the town square. Anastilus noticed him enter and quickly approached him "Soren! Where have you been? The moon is almost out and were about to start stage two!" Soren nodded and followed him to the large group. The eldest, Minao, stood and silenced the crowd when he saw Soren join them "Tonight, we will start the next step in our ultimate goal, to gain our new kingdom" The men roared in unison while Soren remain silent but attentive. "We will infiltrate the caste walls through the southern wing. Make sure you take out the guards on watch on the high tower. Once we have that, you will signal the rest of us to make our way to the front gate. You will kill the gate keeper and let the rest of us in. Do not use any weapons that create noise. We must remain stealthy as possible to make this operation successful. The moment the rest of the guards are alerted, we are all done for. I want you to take the guards clothes and disguise your self for the time being, so we can have a fluid escape. When we are ready to leave, we will call upon the gate." He said firmly. The entire clan stared at him as if they were picturing it happen right before their eyes. Soren could only think of what was on his agenda that night. **

**As they prepared to leave, Anastilus caught Soren by the arm while he was packing his things. "Soren, do not to go after her until we have the castle secure. Her wing is heavily guarded and we can not risk the entire plan for her until were all set in place. Remember, it is your job to kill the king in his slumber. Then you can go after her." He said making sure he understood him clearly. He knew his heart was very weak but he had to put his feelings aside for the cause. He nodded and assured him he would do as ordered. "Tonight, is going to be a very long night…" **


	11. No Sleep

The castle was extremely quiet to Aiya as she returned

The castle was extremely quiet to Aiya as she returned. Even the maids were not gossiping as usual. She decided to stop by the king's throne to thank him for her new given freedom. He was not there. Only his advisor in his flagrant pink color's remained in the room. He paced along the royal carpet clearly distressed about something. Aiya carefully approached the angry pink man and asked quietly "Excuse Me…." He jumped almost out of his coat as he heard her voice. His shaky irritated presence made her feel slightly awkward for disturbing him. "I don't know…He has not been here all day, locked himself up in his room since morning time! I can't stand him like this! Ever since you came he was been a wreck!! If I had the power I would have you sent away in a heart beat." Aiya stared at him stunned. The long feather on top of his silly hat flustered as if it was talking to her as well. Why was he being so hostile to her? This whole kingdom seemed to be very touchy and emotional recently. With out another word she left the grumbling man and set off to her room. Her bed looked absolutely irresistible after a long stressful day. Practically attacking the covers she wrapped herself inside a small cocoon of comfort. The room's silence made her feel safe, a feeling she has not had in a while. Of course she felt safe with Eden, but something feels like it was missing when she was with him. He reminded her of someone, someone very important to her. She was having a hard time remembering. Lately she was forgetting a lot of details about her own past. The last thing that lingered in her memory was she was found in the forest alone and cold. There was a tree, it meant something to her. It had something to do with her past. At least she thought it did. Her troubled mind finally rested after these bothersome thoughts slowly died down.

Edan sat at his doorstep listening to the cold night air. It was silent. Nothing could be heard for miles, and this was beginning to bother him. The livestock were even quiet, some not even grazing in their fields. The animals seemed tense and restless as they bunched together in large groups. All of the birds have seemed to have flown away hours ago, not even finishing their night song. Few people had their lights on. He wondered if they were having trouble sleeping as well. He stood and stretched his long arms high in the air. His body was telling him to sleep, but his nerves were clearly being insubordinate. He checked on his mother, making sure she was getting some sleep after working so hard today. Her room seemed dry and cold at the same time on his skin. Her fire in the small pit was down to mere smolders. He threw on a few more logs and rekindled the only source of heat in the room. The fire even seemed to be anxious to him. Something was happening and it was making him nervous, he needed to see Aiya.

In the forest, a pack of large beast raced through the tall pines, reckless and absolutely blood thirsty. The largest took the lead toward the castle running almost effortlessly through the pine maze. His sorrel hide gleamed through the moonlight like a glowing copper. Unlike the rest of the pack, his face remained focused and held no expression. His side, was the grey wolf matching his pace with out too much of a struggle. The grey growled at the rest of the pack as they got to the castle, signaling them to stop. Grouping together, they looked extremely dangerous in numbers. The grey stood at the front of the group and nodded toward a lead wolf. He nodded and took a small party toward the village. The largest wolf could not help but stare at them as they left. He wanted to enjoy their task as well but knew he must do his specific part for this mission. The moon slowly became covered by a large black cloud causing the grey slowly changed back into its human form of Anastilus. The largest changed into the young Soren that he used to be. His change was slightly more painful than he expected and gripped a near by tree to eat it out. His knees buckled, and his arms were sore and tight. The only thing that kept him from falling was remembering what he wanted to do there. Anastilus grasped his shoulder and said "It hurts the first few times, but once you become fully one of us it will be like nothing." Soren looked up at him in question "I thought you said I was already one of you?" he said. Anastilus shook his head and said "You are only part Lupe now. It takes a full moon to change one completely. You must be careful, because if you let go of your focus, you will loose your chance forever. The next moon will be in a few weeks so we have to make sure you don't get distracted." Soren nodded and got a hold of him self. He wanted this more than anything, what could possibly distract him. There was something he wanted more, he could feel it, but he didn't know what it was. Something was holding him back, that was probably why his body was rejecting the change. You had to be absolutely willing to change, and something always made him hold back. What was it? This pain in his heart that would not go away needed to be numbed by this drug of change. "Maceo, Quabil, you guys know what to do. Soren, you know what to do…" Anastilus said in a firm voice. Without another word, Soren charged to night, his form changing into a monster that even he couldn't recognize as the moon reappeared. "Who am I?" was the last thing he let run through his mind before plunging into his stealth mode as he ran through darkness to find a way to numb his pained heart.

Aiya woke during the middle of the night to hear absolutely nothing. Usually when you are disturbed during sleep, a loud noise is made. There was nothing, just the sound of the wind brushing against her cheek sending a shiver down her spine. Rubbing her shoulders, she forced herself to get out of her warm sanctuary and close the windows. With a click of the windows, the entire room even seemed quieter. All this silence made her want to go back to sleep but something wouldn't let her. She decided to go for a walk to tire her so she could sleep again. The moment she left her room, the hallways seemed to make her uneasy. Making her way down the castle she heard a small stir coming from the front corridor. The door was rattling slightly, as if someone was trying to force it open. Scratching could be heard at the bottom making her step back slightly. Her heart pounded as she heard whining coming from the outside. It sounded like a dog trying to break down the door. Aiya was about to turn and run to find the royal guard but ran strait into the chest of the king. He didn't even flitch. His eyes remained fixed on the door. In his hand was a large sword fixed at the ready. "They have set up an attack tonight, its well organized. I heard them working at the door for at least ten minutes, this is why they have pulled back for a few nights." Aiya gulped and looked at the door in fear "Do you want me to get the guard?" she asked nervously. He shook his head and said "It's too late for that, they have the castle surrounded." She bit her lip slightly and jumped at the sound of a bellowing wolf at the door. "Come, I'll hide you in the servant's passageway along with the maids. I have already alerted the entire staff, I was about to get you but you seemed to have left your room already." She nodded and followed him back into the dark maze of a hallway. His expressionless face stared into the darkness making her feel almost like she was not even there. "Where will you go?" She asked in concern for him. She never thought she would ever be concerned for this man, especially after her first impression on him. Something about him made her feel sorry for him. "I will fight them off as long as I can, I can handle them. I have some of the guard posted to protect me as much as they can. Just stay hidden; I can't have you getting in the way and getting hurt." He said firmly. With out another word, he hurried her into a secret doorway that opened to a large group of frightened maids. Aiya stepped inside and turned to face him. He closed the door quickly and only looked back one last time before walking to his small guard of soldiers. She could see the entire hallway and part of the common room. Two guards paced through the hallways clearly on the edge. The maids held onto each other, some even crying quietly. She even noticed the advisors were tucked away in the tight corner grumbling as usual. This was going to be a very long night.

Edan finished tucking in his mother and walked back to his room to try and attempt some kind of sleep. Before he could even sit down, a large cry was heard from the house next to them. He jumped and listened again to hear glass break, people scream, and growling. He quickly ran out side grabbing his sword on the way out. Two Lupe were already inside the house terrorizing a small family. He bolted through their back window and crept through the small room. All was silent. He could hear the rest of the town awaken and start to stir. The house remained silent. Making his way to the main room, he heard breathing. It was choppy and heavy, making his heart fly. In the corner, he spotted the woman who owned the house. She was collapsed on the floor breathing slightly, but clearly wounded. He heard a whimper in the other room moving his focus. He quietly approached the door with caution and opened the door. The Lupe were cornering two small children, deciding which to feast on. They badgered at each other not paying attention to the door open. The children shivered in fear and stared up at Edan for help. He lifted one finger to silence them. The older sister covered her brother's eyes and tucked her head in him preparing for the gory. Edan thrust his blade into the back of the closest one sending him howling. He drew it deeper mortally wounding him while the other, surprised, growled and tried to attack him. The stabbed Lupe was wailing around so much he blocked his partner from helping him. Crimson liquid slapped across the room as Edan withdrew his sword from the dying beast. The wounded animal collapsed in a weak manner, sending his friend racing to his side. He slowly began to change back into a human showing a large blade mark through his back. Slightly taken aback, Edan stepped back from the two as he clenched his sword for the next attack. The two children quietly seized the moment and crept behind Edan to escape while the living wolf howled in morning. Edan walked behind him and held the hilt of his sword firmly to finish the job. Feeling slightly remorseful for the animal he hesitated, which lead to his next mistake. The wolf turned on him throwing him against the wall. The wall shattered under the forced weight sending cracks all along the wall. The Lupe growled and grasped his left arm with his teeth shaking it wildly. Edan silently screamed in pain. He tried to pry open his mouth with his free hand but couldn't even get him to hold still. He reached for his sword and fingertiped the edge closer to him. Pulling it in full grasp he sent it strait into the wolfs neck making him release him instantly. It shrieked in pain and crawled away from him and collapsed next to his partner. Edan stood over him grasping his bleeding arm while he watched him change back into his human form. He was absolutely normal, almost perfectly human. This made him kneel by him and feel very remorseful that he killed another man like him. The rest of the villagers were very much awake some were already tending to the woman in the front room. One of the men found him and was shocked at the scene before him.  
"Edan! Are you alright? We heard the fight happen and the doors were locked so we couldn't get inside in time."

Edan nodded and tried to bandage his arm with a small cloth that layed on the floor. He looked up at him and at the other room where the other woman was.

"She is fine, a bit shook up, but she will be alright, it looks like there were only two of them, which is very strange because they never attack in small numbers."

He nodded and continued to tend to his wound.

"We heard something going on at the castle too; the gate seemed to open forcefully a few minutes ago."

His eyes widened in fear. Aiya. Jumping to his feet quickly despite his pain in his arm, he ran out of the house to his stable behind his house. His mother was running out the door asking what happened but Edan quickly brushed passed her to get to his horse. Mounting quickly he gave her a reassuring look and kicked his horse into a full gallop to the castle.


End file.
